Vehicle door-lock.



H. P. WELLS.

VEHICLE DOOR LOCK; APPLICATION FILED mefz's, 191s.

Patented Apr. 21, 1.914

III/I14 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARLAN P. WELLS, OF AMESBURY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO WALKER-WELLS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

VEHICLE DOOR-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr, 21, 1914 Application filed August 25, 1913. Serial No. 786,472.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, I'TARLAN P. News, a citizen of the United States, residing at Amesbury, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle Door- Loc (S, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is the production of a lock, especially adapted for use in connection with the doors of vehicles, such as automobiles and the like, which lock shall be of very simple construction, comprised of relatively few parts, not liable to become inoperative, which will be strong and durable, easy to operate, and cheap in first cost.

The invention consists in certain novelties of construction and combinations of parts as herein set forth and claimed.

The accompanying drawing illustrates an example of the embodiment of the invention constructed according to the best mode of procedure I have so far devised for the purpose.

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the lock secured in operative position to a door. Fig. 2 is a face elevation view of the rear surface of the lock detached from the door. Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2 with the cover plate removed. Fig. 4 is a section of Fig. 2 on line 00-00. Fig. 5 is a section of Fig. 2 on line y y. Fig. 6 is a plan View of the latch bolt and tail piece removed.

The lock is comprised of a base plate A, a latch bolt B having a tail piece C with the metal removed from the central part thereof, as shown, a coiled spring D, a cover plate E, a rotary shaft or shank F with oppositely extended lever arms G G, and an operating lever handle H, the several parts being combined as illustrated.

The letter I designates the flange of the base plate with a hole J therethrough for the latch bolt, and slots K to receive the ends of the arms L of the cover plate; M, a round hole to receive the shank F carrying the lever arms; N, a threaded hole to receive the end of a uniting screw 0, which screw has its head seated within a recess P in the cover plate formed by striking up and perforating the metal thereof; Q, a slotted boss formed by striking up the metal of the base plate, the slot receiving and holding the end B of the spring D, the

other end of the spring engaging a project ing bearing S on the tail piece; T, a hole in the cover plate within which is join-naled the projecting end U of the rotary shaft or shank; V V, raised flanges on the tail piece which are engaged by the edges of the cover plate, which plate holds the tail piece so it can reciprocate without excessive friction in a straight line only; W bearing recesses or seats near the ends of the lever arms G G which receive projecting lugs X X on the tail piece; and Y Y the edges of the latch bolt which bear against the edges of the arms L of the cover plate and with which edges the bolt has a-frictional sliding contact.

The relative locations of the several parts are clear from the drawing. It will be observed that a single uniting screw 0 holds them in assembled operative positions, and that the cover plate guides the tail piece and latch bolt in their reciprocating movements.

The lock is applied to a door as shown in Fig. 1 and held in place by screws passed through the base plate and the flange which fits the edge of the door.

The two oppositely disposed lever arms at the end of the rotary shaft or shank are provided so that the latch bolt may be withdrawn from its seat by moving the handle in either direction.

From the foregoing description taken in connect-ion with the drawing it is clear that I have produced a lock of very simple and relatively cheap construction and which fulfils all the conditions set forth as the object of the invention.

"What I claim is:

1. The combination of a base plate having a hole for a shank and a perforated flange, a latch bolt with a tail piece provided with guiding flanges, a cover plate with a hole therethrough secured to the base plate and the edges of said cover plate engaging the flanges of the tail piece, a spring anchored at one end and its free end bearing against the tail piece, a rotary shaft or shank journaled within the holes in the base and cover plates and having a lever arm or arms which frictionally engage the tail piece, and an operating handle in connection with the shank.

2. The combination of a base plate having a hole for a shank and a flange with a perforation for a bolt, a latch bolt wit-h a hollow tail piece provided on its inner edge with bearing surfaces for a spring and lever arm or arms, a cover plate having a hole for a shank and arms which engage and guide the latch bolt, a spring located inside the hollow tail piece and held at one end bet-ween the base and cover plates and the free end engaging the bearing surface inside the tail piece, a shank journaled within the holes in the base and cover plates and carrying an arm or arms located within the hollow tail piece and which engage the inner edge of the tail piece, and an operating handle secured to the shank.

3. The combination in a carriage door lock, of a base plate with a flange and slotted boss Q, formed by striking up the metal of the base plate, a latch bolt with an extended tail piece having the metal removed from the central part thereof to form a space for a spring and lever mechanism, a spring bearing against the tail piece at one end and the other end anchored in said boss Q, a cover plate secured to the base plate and guiding the tail piece and latch bolt, and a shank carrying a handle and lever arm or arms journaled to the base and cover plate.

A lock comprising a base plate with a flange, a latch bolt having a hollow tail piece with two bearings X, X on its inner edge and flanges V V, a spring engaging the tail piece, a cover plate located between the flanges V V for guiding the tail piece and latch bolt, and a shank provided with two lever arms Gr, G located within th hollow tail piece adapted to engage the bearings X, X, journaled to the cover and base plates and carrying a handle whereby the bolt and tail piece will be operated by moving the handle in either direction.

5. A look comprising a base plate with a flange having slots, a latch bolt with a tail piece having raisedflanges V, V, a spring engaging the tail piece, a cover plate with its side edges engaging the flanges V, V for guiding the tail piece and latch bolt the said cover plate having arms the ends of which are seated within the slots in the flange, said cover plate being secured to the base plate by a screw or rivet seated within a recess P formed by striking up the metal of the base plate to engage the surface of the cover plate and form a support, and a shank or shaft journaled to the cover and base plates and carrying a. handle and a lever arm.

6. The combination in a lock of a base plate having a flange with holes therein for a bolt and also for receiving the ends of arms of the cover plate, a bolt and hollow tail piece, said tail piece having side flanges, a cover plate having arms adapted to enter the holes in the flange of the base plate and its side edges to be seated between and engage the flanges of the tail piece, and means for securing and supporting the end of the cover plate in a fixed position parallel with the base piece so that the edges of the cover plate can guide the tail piece in its reciproeating motions.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARLAN P. \VELLS.

Witnesses:

EARL M. NnLsoN, RAYMOND J. HOrr'r.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

